Tutorial for the 1 yard Skirt!!!

When I make the 1 yard skirt, I use... 1 yard of light weight fabric and 1 yard of THICK elastic! You want your elastic to match your skirt fabric as best as possible, because it will be a visible waistband.

Now depending on how full and long you want your skirt you may need more or less fabric. If you buy 45 inch wide fabric that is 1 yard then your skirt will go to your knees and be moderately full... Like THIS one.

To see if you really need 1 yard of elastic, measure your waist here. This skirt is meant to be worn high on your waist, so measure your natural waist. You can use a measuring tape, or just use the elastic for this!



Once you have your fabric, fold it selvage to selvage. The selvage is going to be your hem, so you will need to cut your fabric along the fold at what will be the top of your skirt.

You will now sew up each side of the skirt right sides together. Starting at the Selvage, and going to the top. Now your skirt looks a little more like a skirt!

Next measure your elastic around your waist, you only need to leave about a half an inch for seam allowance. Sew the elastic together like this... To attach the skirt to the elastic, you will need to gather it first. I think the quickest way to do this is with elastic thread. You need to hand wind it around your bobbin, not to tightly, and you only use elastic thread on your bobbin. You use regular thread for the top. (this is also called Shirring)

This is how it will look....

When attaching your skirt to the elastic, you don't do it right sides together. You sew the right side of your skirt to the wrong side of the elastic, like this... The elastic is going to be visible, so you don't want the seam to show.

Now, when pinning the elastic to the skirt, I folded them each in half and marked it, then in half again so I had 4 pins in each. (Divided into quarters) I then matched up the 4 pins, with the seams lining up in the back. You will stretch the skirt to line up with the elastic. (This is one reason I like using elastic thread to gather my skirt fabric.)This skirt I gathered by hand, I just wanted to try something different, they were actually more like pleats. I think I like regular gathering with elastic thread better though!

Once they are all pinned together, you can sew it! I sew from the inside, like sew... (nice pun right?)

I do a second stitch on the top of the elastic right along the bottom edge for reinforcement.

Then hem your skirt to the desired length, and Viola! You are finished!

I bet you have 1 yard of fabric sitting around somewhere to try this!

Let me know if you have any questions, I hope it all makes sense!